Anthem for the Year 2000

"Anthem for the Year 2000" is a song by Australian rock band Silverchair, released as the first single from their third album, Neon Ballroom. The song reached number three on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, becoming the band's sixth top-ten single and their first lead single from an album not to reach number one, a feat "Tomorrow" and "Freak" had accomplished. The song reached the top ten in New Zealand, on Canada's RPM Rock Report, and on the UK Rock Chart.

"Anthem for the Year 2000"
Single by Silverchair
from the album Neon Ballroom
Released	February 1999
Genre	Heavy metal[1] arena rock[2]
Length	4:07 (album version) 3:45 (edit)
Label	Murmur
Songwriter(s)	Daniel Johns
Producer(s)	Nick Launay
Silverchair singles chronology
"The Door" (1997) "Anthem for the Year 2000" (1999) "Ana's Song (Open Fire)" (1999)

Australian writer Craig Mathieson described the song as "a viciously compressed take on Queen's stadium rock moments that made Y2K into a generational battle".^[2]

Origin

Songwriter Daniel Johns said "Anthem for the Year 2000" was inspired by a dream:

The whole thing is about youth rebelling against people who are supposedly more important. It's about youth having total control over their own minds. They do not need overweight people in suits telling them what to do and how to act. It is all about just being yourself. The chorus is very sarcastic. It is not supposed to be taken seriously.^[3]

Music video

The music video was directed by Gavin Bowden, who also made some videos for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Australian actress Maggie Kirkpatrick played the robot politician.^[3] Kirkpatrick said about being invited for the video:

My first reaction was, 'Why me?' I later found out that the boys were from Newcastle and, being an old Newcastle girl myself, I was more than prepared to help them out. I encourage anyone from my own town. Actually, my niece and nephew went to school with the guys.^[3]

Reception

AllMusic critic Jason Anderson thought that "Anthem for the Year 2000" was one of the three highlights from Neon Ballroom.^[4]

Influence

Northlane member Jon Deiley said:

"Anthem for the Year 2000" was the first Silverchair song I ever heard. To me as a young kid, it was intense and heavy and it wasn't til a few years later that I really began to appreciate the impact their music had on me at an early age.^[5]

Track listings

Australian (MATTCD080)/European (6668362) CD single/Cassette single (MATTC080)

1. "Anthem for the Year 2000"
2. "London's Burning" (The Clash cover)
3. "Untitled"
4. "The Millennium Bug" (The Paul Mac Remix)

Australian 7-inch vinyl (MATTVO80)

1. "Anthem for the Year 2000"
2. "Trash"

Limited numbered UK CD single (6670882)

1. "Anthem for the Year 2000"
2. "The Millennium Bug" (The Paul Mac Remix)

UK limited 7-inch numbered picture disc

1. "Anthem for the Year 2000"
2. "The Millennium Bug" (The Paul Mac Remix)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1999) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[6] 3 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[7] 6 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[8] 8 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[9] 32 UK Singles (OCC)[10] 93 UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[11] 3 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[12] 15 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[13] 12

Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position Australia (ARIA)[14] 29 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[15] 26 US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)[16] 68 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[17] 65

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[18]	Platinum	70,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Australia	February 1999	7-inch vinyl CD cassette	Murmur
United States	22 February 1999	Active rock radio	Murmur Epic	[19]

References

1. Chonin, Neva (18 March 1999). "Neon Ballroom". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
2. Mathieson, Craig (October 2010). Playlisted: Everything You Need to Know about Australian Music Right Now. ReadHowYouWant.com. p. 10. ISBN 9781459604445.
3. "Interview with The Sunday Herald-Sun". The Sunday Herald-Sun. 21 February 1999.
4. Anderson, Jason. "Neon Ballroom – Silverchair | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
5. "Northlane, The Amity Affliction and more to cover Silverchair on tribute album - Music News - triple j". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 12 October 2017.
6. "Silverchair – Anthem for the Year 2000". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
7. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 8151." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
8. "Silverchair – Anthem for the Year 2000". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
9. "Silverchair – Anthem for the Year 2000". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
11. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
12. "Silverchair Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
13. "Silverchair Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
14. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1999". ARIA. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
15. "RPM 1999 Top 50 Rock Tracks". RPM. Retrieved 26 March 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
16. "Most Played Mainstream Rock Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. 24 December 1999. p. 35.
17. "Most Played Modern Rock Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. 24 December 1999. p. 36.
18. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
19. "Adds for February 22 & 23". Gavin Report. No. 2243. 19 February 1999. p. 59.